Car coupler



y 1934- A. J. BAZELEY 1,956,609

CAR COUPLER Filed Sept. 9, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet l A. J. BAZELEY May 1, 1934.,

CAR COUPLER Filed Sept. 9, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 A. J. BAZELEY CAR COUPLER Filed sep 1929 May 1, 1934.

3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented May 1, 1934 entree creme UAR-BOURKE! Arthur :I. Baz'clcy, fClevlainH, "Ohio, "assignpr to National Malle'alilefana "Giisfiiigs Company, Cleveland, @1110, "a cliflpiiraiion of 01110 Application September 9, 4929, =Serial iNo. 391,129

This invention relates to car couplers of the vertical :plane type, such "as are show n the Letters Patent of John Willison, No. 1,201,665, dated October 17, 1916 and No. 614,517, iiaite'd January 18, 1927 and in the Letters Paterit of William 'Blackmore 'et al., No. l-45,492, dated November 1, I927, in which the coupler comprises a couplerhead, a lock and a suitable mechanism for actuating the look. Ihe "invention particularly comprises the provision *of means for ef- :fective'ly preventing the look .from creeping out of locking position when the couplers are under draft, and at the same time pern'iitting 'ready retraction of the lock to unlocking position, even though the'couplersbe tightly interenga'g'ed, when it is desired to eifect'uncoupling. -'In'-the patent to :Blackmore, N0. 1;64!7,49 '7, November 1,, 1925-, there is shown a construction-effective in prevent ing creeping of the flock, such construction "con-- 9 sisting of :a locking =face non-parallel with respe'ct to that surface of the lock which rests against the inner surface of the coupler :lug :3, whereby' the forwardrnost edge of the lock is thicker than the rear lpalt of the locking taceand a wedg in'g a'ction 125 between said face and that of the opposing lock such as shown in the aforesaid patent to :Blackmore 'et all, are employed it is usually impossible to retract the said locks for uncoupling except by first blocking one "of the cars and pushing the other againsti't with considerable pressure. l his has led to the employment, in couplers for use with said pneumatie buffer arrangements, of :a :lock 'havingits lo'dking face parallel to i'ts opp'osite face, but with such construction there is no aprovision for prevention of creeping of the lock. Through :my invention an effective anti cr'eep means is provided, whi'ohimeans at the same time permits the Block to :be readily withdrawn when it is desired to cheat uncouplingeve'n though the couplers be tightly engaged under the influence of the pneumatic buffers. 'mhe lock is also permitted to move rearwardly during the operation of coupling with 'an opposing coupler. The invention also comprises various features "which will be "hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings;

Fig.1 is a side elevation o'f :a coupl'e'r embodying any invention, ithe iparts being shown Lin locked position.

"Fig. 2 iis aviewr-partly in "plan and partly insection Yon fline Id -TI *of :Fig. 1, a portion df an 5? "opposing coupl'eibeing shown indot 'da;sh lines in engagement with "the apre'vio'usly mentioned coup'ler.

3 is ta side el'evation similar to Fig. 1 but showing chef-lock moved partly to the rear as in the act of coupling "with an opposing coupler.

#Fig. 4 is an end elevation corresponding to Fig. 5 "a @artiafl sectional view taken 'on line V -v 6f rug. '3.

Fig. 611s aside elevation showing the lock b'eing retracted My the lock li-ftJever as in unc'ou'pling. Figs. 7., 8, 9, 'and :10 are views showing the dock i-n top plan, side elevation, bottcmplan, and front elevation, respectively.

Figs. 11 and '12 are views showing the lock opawaiting :lever in iplan :and side elevation respecl i'g. is ai'detaiil view :in re'ar elevaition-showin a of 'tliedcck operating =lever, and

Fig. 'is :a view partly in vertical section and partly in side elevation, on "a reduced scale, showa ear equipped with pneumatic bufier means, with which arrangement --my invention is espectall'y a'dvantageous.

Fig. 1 5 is a vertical sectiona'l detail view illusa modified feature of the invention.

Referring tcthe drawings the coupler comprises a having -a buffing .ja-w 3 and a ipullin'g jaw 4. saifi head also comprises abufiing face -5 arranged on him axis inclined "laterally to the line of mft. 'lThe ?pu1lihg1j'aW -'4 has"a 1ateral1y extend and recess ta "to receive the complementary jaw 3 iii the opposing coupler head, and its pulling race I engages a complementary face 8 of the i'j'aw "on the opposing 'coupler head.

rock 9 or the "coupler operates in a pocket or -"cavity roan the coupler head. J ournaled on a heft i1 1 which passes through said head is a lock operatin lever 12. The latter consists of two arms 13 and 14 joined at their rear ends 'by a web 15, said ams being ap'ertur'ed for the passage of the bolt 11. A n extensio'n 1-3 of the arm 13 is adapted to have connected thereto a chain or other suitable element for actuating the lever :12

as "will -'be readily apparent. The-arm 13 lies outside the coupler head while arm 14 projects inside the cavity 10. The arm -14 is provided with a cam surface :16, which when the lever is rotated :coun ter clockwise from its Fig. 1 position, comes 1'10 into contact with a surface 1'7 on the lock and re-'- tracts the latter. The forward end 18 of arm 14 lies in the path of a stop portion 19 of the lock 9 when the lever 12 is in its normal locking position, to limit the rearward movement of the lock when the latter is driven rearwardly by a coupling impact and to prevent the look from moving so far back into the coupler as to preclude coupling up under rapid impact conditions. It Will be noted that the locking face 9 of the"lock is shown parallel to its opposite face 9".

For preventing creeping of the look from locked position when engaged with an opposing lock and at the same time permitting the lock to be freely retracted for unlocking even though the couplers be tightly engaged with each other, I have provided the following means.

On the rear face of the stop portion 18 of leverarm 14 I provide a beveled surface 20; while the lock 9, just to the rear of the stop surface 19, is provided with a beveled shoulder 21. The tendency of the locks to creep out of locking position occurs when the couplers are under draft (as indicated in Fig. 2) and when there is vertical sliding between said couplers due to uneven track. When the couplers are under draft or a pulling strain the opposing locks 9 of said couplers press each other tightly against the surface 22 of the lug 3 of the corresponding coupler. Now if either lock starts to creep rearwardly, its surface 21 engages the corresponding surface 20 of the adjacent lock lever 12, with the result that the rear part 9 of the lock is crowded against the lock guiding wall 23 of the coupler. It will be apparent that the lock is now effectively pinched against rearward creeping; the rear part of the lock being in contact with wall 23, the lock surface 21 engaged with lock lever surface 20, and the forward looking face 9' of said lockbeing in engagement with the face of the opposing lock.

To enable the lock to move rearwardly freely during coupling operations I have shown said lock narrowed down at 24, to the rear of its looking face. With this construction, when the lock is pushed rearwardly by an opposing coupler during a coupling operationthe forward portion of the lock can move away from the surface 22, of

coupler lug 3 so that the lock can rideup over the beveled anti-creek surface 20. During a coupling operation there is no pressure against the locking face 9' and thus said lateral movement may readily take place. In Fig. 5 the lock is shown in the act of moving rearwardlyduring coupling, a small clearance or gap being shown at 25 between face 9" of the lock and surface 22.

Since the anti-creep surfaces are nearer the lower end of the lock it is necessary only that the lower end of the lock move laterally, the top end of the lock sliding back and forth in the usual way. Fig. 4, it will be noted, shows the gap 25 at the bottom end and not, at the top of the lock. Instead of providing a narrow portion of the lock, the lock guide wall 23 may be cut away as shown at 23' in Fig. 15 to permit lateral movement of the forward part of the lock during a coupling operation.

When it is desired to uncouple opposing couplers the lock lever 12 is turned counter-clockwise from its Fig. 1 position. This rotation of said lever first raises the stop 18 and anti-creep surface 20 out of the path of stop surface 19 and anti-creep surface 21, respectively, of the lock 9. Upon continued rotation of said lever 12 the lock is drawn rearwardly, through the engagement of lug 16 with surface 17, without any preventing creeping of 'tica'l' section and partly in side elevation. The coupler, which is designated generally as 27, is

positioned between pneumatic buffers 28 (only one of which is shown); the face of each buifer extending beyond the coupler. As has been previously pointed out when such cars are coupled together the buffers are compressed and the couplers are constantly under the influence of draft stress resulting from the buffer compression. It will be apparent that my invention provides an effective means for preventing creeping of the coupler looks out of locking position and at the same time for enabling the ready unlocking of the couplers even though the latter are held tightly engaged by the compressed buffers.

The terms and expressions which I have employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and I have no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any mechanical equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but recognize that various structural modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

What I claim is:

1. In a car coupler, a head, a lock mounted in said head and movable to a position for overlapping the lock of an opposing coupler, means for preventing creeping of the lock out of locking position and means operable to first throw said preventing means out of action and to thereafter shift the lock to coupler unlocking position.

2. In a car coupler, a head, a lock mounted in said head and movable to a position for overlapping the lock of an opposing coupler, means for operating said lock, and means on said operating means cooperating with said lock for preventing creeping of the lock out of locking position.

3. In a car coupler, a head, a lock mounted in said head and movable to a position for overlapping the lock of an opposing coupler, an arm for operating said lock, and means comprising cooperating surfaces on said arm and said lock for the lock out of locking position.

i. In a car coupler, a head, a lock movably mounted in a cavity in said head to assume a projected locking position and a retracted unlocking position, said look when in locking position being adapted to overlap the lock of an opposing coupler, means for preventing creeping of the lock out of locking position, and means operable to throw said preventing means out of action and subsequently to shift the lock to coupler unlocking position.

5. In a car coupler, a head, a lock movably mounted in a cavity in said head to assume a projected locking position and a retracted unlocking position, said lock when in looking position being adapted to overlap the lock of an. opposing coupler, an arm for operating said lock, and an inclined surface on said arm cooperating with said lock for preventing creeping of the lock out of locking position.

6. In a car coupler, a head, a lock movably mounted in a cavity in said head to assume a projected locking position and a retracted unlocking position, said lock when in locking position being adapted to overlap the lock of an opposing coupler, an arm for operating said lock, and means comprising inclined surfaces on said arm and said lock, respectively, for preventing creeping of said lock out of locking position.

'7. In a car coupler, a head, a lock movably mounted in a cavity in said head to assume a projected locking position and a retracted unlocking position, said lock when in looking position being adapted to overlap the lock of an opposing coupler, an arm for operating said lock, inclined surfaces on said arm and said lock, respectively, for preventing rearward creeping of the lock out of locking position, a clearance being provided between said lock and a wall of said cavity for permitting limited lateral movement of the lock to clear the inclined surface on said arm so that said lock may move rearwardly under the impact of an opposing coupler during a coupling operation.

8. In a car coupler, a head, a lock mounted in said head and movable to a position for overlapping the lock of an opposing coupler, means for operating said lock, and means movable with said operating means and cooperating with said lock forpreventing creeping of the lock out of locking position.

9. In a car coupler, a head, a lock mounted in said head and movable to a position for overlapping the lock of an opposing coupler, means for preventing creeping of the lock out of locking position, and means for throwing the first mentioned means out of action independently of movement of the lock.

10. In a car coupler, a head, a lock mounted in said head and movable to a position for overlapping the lock of an opposing coupler, means for operating said lock, and means controlled by said operating means and cooperating with a portion of said lock for positively preventing creeping of the lock out of locking position.

11. In a car coupler, a head, a lock movably mounted in a cavity in said head to assume a projected locking position and a retracted unlocking position, said lock when in looking position being adapted to overlap the lock of an opposing coupler, means for preventing creeping of the lock out of locking position, said lock being adapted to non-wedging engagement with the lock of an opposing counterpart coupler, whereby said lock may be withdrawn to unlocking position even though the opposed couplers are under draft, the parts being so constructed and arranged as to require throwing of the preventing means out of action before the lock can be disengaged from the lock of an opposing coupler, and means for throwing said preventing means out of action as a prerequisite to movement of the lock to a position out of engagement with the lock of an opposing coupler.

12. In a car coupler, a head, a lock movably mounted in said head to assume a projected looking position and a retracted unlocking position, said lock when in looking position being adapted to overlap the lock of an opposing coupler, means for preventing rearward creeping of the lock out of locking position, means providing for free rearward movement of the look under the impact of an opposing coupler during a coupling operation,

the locking face of said lock being parallel to its opposite face whereby said lock may be with- 

